Nebraska Newspapers

    PART III. OMAHA SUNDAY BEE. cccccccccccccccocc PAGES 17 TO 20. c
ESTABLISHED JUNE 10 , 1871. GRATIA , SUNDAY MOKNLNGJUiLY 21 , 1805 TWENTY PAQ-ES. SINGKLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
MONITOR AND MERIUMAC
Bccollec'.iona of a Famous Naval Ocmbat
by a Participant.
'SCNES IN THE MONITOR PILOT HOUSE. .
The Hurtling nml Kanimlnfr of tlio Union
Fleet liy tlio Confederate Terror
Uriiphla Description of the Ureat
Itattlo > > J Lieutenant Howard *
( Copyright , 1855 , liy Frank Q. Carpenter. )
WASHINGTON , July 18. Among the bills
which toll ! bo presented to congress at the
comlng-BCsslon will bo one for the Increase of
the rank of Lieutenant Samuel Howard. Lieu
tenant Howard came within one-tenth of 1
per cent of passing the technical examination
given by the martinets of the Department of
the Navy In 1876 , and by them he was re
fused tf scctfnd examination. Committees of
congress havj reported In favor of the bill ,
and , If passed , It will be only Justice to one
of the bravest men the United States has
overknown. . Among the most heroic acts
of the late civil war was that of this man
Howard when he volunteered to act as the
pilot of the Monitor In Its terrible fight with
the Merrlmac at Hampton Hoads. He carried
the vessel throughout that engagement , and
his story of that awful fight Is now here given
for the first tlmo to the public.
THE 1'ILOT OF THE MONITOR.
Hut first let me tell you something about
Lieutenant Howard. He Is an old man now ,
and his years number seventy-five. Still his
eye Is bright , his step Is firm , and he Is men
tally as sound as he was when , now more
than a generation ago , he took the Monitor
Into actlott. He Is as straight as an arrow
and his bearing Is military. Ho has a broad
forehead , bright blue eyes and a long blonde
beard , In which there are many gray strands.
Ho lives In a modest little house almost
under the shadow of the national capltol. He
Is the personification of modesty , and In his
talk about the engagement with mo last night
ho kept himself In the background. I had
to ask many questions before I got the story
of his life. His first voyage was taken at
the ago of 1C , when he sailed from Dublin for
the Mediterranean. I believe ho ran away
from homo to go to sea , and he had visited
nearly every part.of the world , and had
coasted up and down the Atlantic shores of
the United States for many years before the
war began. He had been several times cap
tain of a vessel , and , as a naturalized Amer
ican citizen , he put himself at the service of
Uncle Sam as soon as the war opened. He
was appointed acting master of the brig
Amanda , whose duty It was to coast up and
down the eastern shores of the Atlantic and
capture the ships that tried to run our block
ade , and ho left this ship to act as pilot for
the Monitor. Speaking of his modesty , he
evidently thinks that he did no more than
any other man would have done under sim
ilar circumstances , and when I asked him
whether he was not afraid when he was
penned up In that little Iron box with the
shot and shell raining down upon It , ho re
plied :
"I had no tlmo to think of being afraid.
It was all I could do to keep the boat mov
ing according to the directions of Captain
Warden , who stood In the pilot house by my
side. "
HOW HOWARD WAS APPOINTED.
The main facts of the engagement between
the Monitor and the Merrlmac are well
known , but there arc many details which
have never been Given to the public. It Is
Bate to say that had It not been foi
Samuel Howard there would have been no
action that day. The Merrlmac would have
returned and the Minnesota and millions ol
dollars' worth of Uncle Sam's property would
have been destroyed. When the Monitor
came Into Fortress Monroe she found herself
unable to go Into action for the want of a
. She had been brought from the north
Eliot.
y a Baltimore man who sympathized with
the south , and when Fortress Monroe was
reached this man refused to take the little
Iron monster out against the Merrlmac. The
pilots on the boats at Hampton Roads were
also southern sympathizers , and either from
this or trim cowardice , they refused to act.
They said they knew nothing about the
waters , and Captain Worilen was In despali
when ho was called upon "by Samuel Howard
and the captain of his brig. These two had
brought their ship from Wilmington to Fort
ress Monroe for provisions , and seeing the
Monitor they came to visit her. As they
stepped upon the deck Captain Worden
greeted them and told them his troubles
about a pilot. Lieutenant Howard nt once
offered to take the position. Ho said he knew
something of the Roads , and that ho would
gladly conduct It Into action. He told Cap
tain Worden that the pilots had been lying
to him about their Ignorance. He said
"They arc a set of rebels , captain , and they
know the Heads better than I do , but you
can't make them act. You had better take
me. " To this Captain Worden gladly as
sented , and Howard was ushered Into the
pilot house of the Monitor and remalnec
there almost from the tlmo of Us arrlva
Saturday until the close of Its fight with the
Merrlmac on 'the following day.
THE DEADLY MEURIMAC.
Before I give Lieutenant Hewaid's story
of the battle proper let mo say something o
the events of ( he day preceding. Lleuter.an
Howard had arrived on his brig In vlmo to
see the engagement between the Merrlmac
and our gunboats , and the most of my In
formation concerning that fight comes from
htm. Sitting In the rigging of his shli
with his glass ho saw the queer Ironclad
sail < ] o\vn the Elizabeth river and take Its
'way ' across the ( Channel to engage with our
gunboats lying along ! the coast between
Newport News and Fortress Monroe , am
ho watched- that terrible fight. The Merrl
mac , you know , was a frigate of 3,000 tons
which had been burned and sunk -luring the
spring of 18G1 at Norfolk.
A few months later It was raised by the
confederates and converted Into an Ironclad
The ship was then cut down to the ol'
berth decks. Her machinery was left vithln
her , but the whole of the ship above the
water was covered with Iron plates two
Inches thick and eight Inches wide , ca
Ivetvd together that the vessel had on
armor of Iron four Inches thick. Upon It
prow they put a great Iron ram , which
projected four feet beyond the vessel am
which did terrible damage to one of the
northern gunboats before the Monitor ar
rived. In the sides of the vessel there
were port holes , and the ten great guns
behind these vomited forth shot and shel
without ceasing while she was In action
The ship was commanded by some of. the
ablest officers In the confederacy , and I
bad a crew of 300 picked men. It was a
cjumsy vessel. It drew twenty-three fee
of water. It could not travel more than
fly * miles an hqilr and it took from thtrt )
to forty 'minutes to turn. Still , with the
wooden ships of 1S62 It was an all-powerfu
monster. Its Iron coat made It practically
Impregnable , and when It started on Its
first voyage of destruction there was ji
panic In the cabinet at Washington am
Secretary Stanton predicted that It wouU
ruin our navy , and the other members
almost felt that It was already anchoret
in the 1'otomao with Jts guns trainee
on the whlto house. The ship was built a
the Norfolk navy yard , Us Iron plates havlni
been rolled at the Tredegar Iron foundry li
Richmond. When It started out some of the
officers thought that It was merely for a' trla
trip , but. It so , It was the most terrible trla
that any vessel ever had.
RAMMING OF TUB CUMBERLAND.
Only A few mile * from Norfolk I * Fortres
Monroe , with Hampton Roads lying between
About seven miles above Fortress Monroe , a
the mouth of the James river , Is Newpor
News. This line of several mile : commutes
the northern part of the Roads , and , scat
lerei along It , wa * a line of men-of-war
Nearest Fortress Monroe were the three
frigates , the St. Lawrence , the Roanoke am
the Minnesota. Juit off Newport New
were anchored two more frigate *
the Congress , containing fifty gum
and the Cumberland having thirty
These boat * evidently did not eit
pect an engagement The washing of the
sailor * wa * banging on the rigging , nd time
vere few signs of action about the ships until
he Merrlmac was seen steaming toward
hem , The guns were , however , quickly put
n order , and , as the queer monster of Iron
noved up , the Cumberland opened with her
heavy guns , and the Congress came to her
Id. The shore batteries Joined In , but the
balls fell from the Iron sides of the Merrlmac
vlthout penetrating them , and she still came
on. She did not fire until she was within
easy range , when she gave a broadside at the
Congress. She did not stop here , but pointing
ler Iron prow at the Cumberland she put on.
ull steam and made for It. The ship was
truck at right angles , and the hole made
was so large that a horse and cart could
mvo been driven 'through It without touch-
ng Us sides. It was so skillfully done that
he sailors on the Merrlmac afterward said
that they hardly felt the shock. With this
great hole In her side the Cumberland's fate
was sealed , and Lieutenant Howard saw her
sink beneath the waves. Her men , he says ,
kept up their fire until the boat went down.
THE CONGRESS BURNED.
The Merrlmac , after striking the Cumbcr-
and , backed out and began a new attack
ipon the Congress. The men at Fortress
Monroe could see the smoke of both vessels
as they rained shot and shell upon one an
other. Finally the Congress ran aground ,
and her officers , seeing that they could do
nothing more , ran up the white flag. In her
grounded condition the Merrlmac could not
> osslbly take her , and , after taking oft a
ew prisoners , they shelled her with hot shot.
She was soon a mass of flames , and she was
still burning when the Monitor arrived. In
the meantime the United States frigates
he Roanoke , the St. Lawrence and the Min
nesota had sailed from Fortress Monroe to
the rescue. The necessity of a good pilot
can be seen by what followed. Thti ships had
lardly started before they ran aground , and
ho Merrlmac , htvlng finished up the Cum
berland and the Congress , was now ready
.0 steam toward them. It was , however ,
ate Saturday afternoon. The tide had
changed , and tlip pilots of the Merrlmac said
that she must draw oft until morning , or
ihe would also go aground. Their advice
was taken , and the ship drew off .to the
southern side of Hampton Roads , near
Scwnll's Point , Its officers Intending to come
back and destroy the Minnesota the next day.
THE MONITOR APPEARS.
When the day broke , however , there was a
new figure on the scene. "It looked , " says
Mr. Howard , "like a massive Iron turtle
with a gigantic black cheese box on Us back ,
and It swam to and fro In front of the Minnesota
seta , and between It and the Mcrrlmac. " As
the day grew brighter , through their glasses
the confederate officers could get a better
Idea of this new marine monster. It was ap
parently a raft plated with Iron , with a great
round tower rising from Its center. As the
ofllcers looked they saw this tower move
slowly about , and two mighty eleven-Inch
guns were pointed In the direction of the
Merrlmac. They had read about this vessel
which was being made. They knew It was
Ericsson's Monitor , and they thought It the
strangest looking vessel which up.to that
time had floated upon the sea. It looked very
small beside the mighty Merrlmac , and Us
two guns did not appear Invulnerable In com
parison with their ten. "Its speeV says
Lieutenant Howard , "was not more than five
knots an hour , or Just about the same as the
Merrlmac , but Us small size enabled It to
move about moro quickly , and It was more
manageable In every way. It had left New
York two days before , and when It was still
twenty miles from Fortress Monroe Its offi
cers had heard the booming of the guns of the
engagement of the Merrimac with the Cum
berland and Congress. When I went on
board of her the Congress was still blazing ,
and Captain Worden had Just beard of the
terrible destruction which the Merrlmac had
accomplished that day. He was shown how
the Merrlmac had drawn off , and was told
that It would surely come back In the morn
ing to destroy the Minnesota , the Roanoke
and the St. Lawrence , and he was anxious
to go at once to their defense.
"Well , as soon as It was decided that I waste
to act as pilot I went down Into the pilot
house and we at once got under way. The
pilot house was a little Iron box Just large
enough for four men to stand upright within
It. It was situated In the tore part of the
vessel , some distance In front of the revolv
ing turret. In which the guns were placed.
It was halt above and half below the Iron
deck , and It was , In fact , a square Iron box ,
made of iron logs about nlno Inches thick ,
which were bolted and dove-tailed at the
corners. There were- little silts between the
upper set of logs and the one below , through
which we could psep out. The steering wheel
was secured to oneof the logs , and I had a
wire connection with the engines , which were
under the deck , so that by th3 ringing of
bells I could give the proper signals to the
engineer. The turret , behind us , so revolved
that the guns were every now and then
polnced directly at the pilot house , and dur
ing _ the action the officers had to be very
careful that they did not hit the house. It
was Saturday night that we sailed past
Fortress Monroe and came to anchor In from
of the Minnesota. A darker nlgbt I don'l
think ever came out of the heavens. You
could almost feel It , and It was only by the
light of the burning Congress that I wa !
able to get my bearings. This made a fall
light , and I steered by It. The .Minnesota
was a fine vessel. She was a frigate , bearing
eighty-four guns , and she looked very grand
in comparison with the little Monitor as we
sailed by her. We moved to a short ills-
tance In front * of her and then waited foi
day.
THE FIGHT WITH THE MERRIMAC.
"Tho sun rose that morning on waters llk (
a mlllpond. It was a beautiful Sunday , anc
you could see for mlle.v on each side o
you. As the day broke the Yorktown anc
the Jamestown , two of the confederate ships
came out and started for the Minnesota. W (
at once got under way and sent a shot a
them. They left at once. They didn't wan
to have anything to do with the 'cheese-tx
on a raft , ' as they called It. In the mcantimt
the Merrlmac had roused up and came or
toward the Minnesota. The Monitor rested
little In front of the Minnesota and wallet
for her. The officers were In the turret
Captain Worden stood by my side and gav <
the orders. The Merrlmac first flrod at the
Minnesota , and then Captain Worden gave th <
order for the Monitor to go for the Mcrrlmai
and to begin firing. The Merrlmac was i
mtlo off when we started for her. The shot !
were at once concentrated on the two Iron
clads. Wo turned this way and that , flrlnj
about every seven minutesWe kept movlni
about the Merrlmac and getting In gooc
shots at almost every fire. The vessels werf
often not more than thirty feet apart , am
the engagement was terrible. The turret o
the Monitor was made of heavy plates o
iron , so that Its walls were about eight Inche :
thick. The shots of the Merrlmac poundct
great dents In It , but they did not go through
Our guns tore the Iron from the Merrlmac
and had we understood Its construction , w <
might have sunk her. We should have almci :
for her at the water line. Her Iron platei
did not extend much below this. I have al
ways thought that we did send one shot Intc
her , and I think wa would have surely sunli
her had we continued to fire In this way. "
CAPTAIN WORDEN'S NARROW ESCAPE
"When was Captain Worden wounded ? "
"It was some hours after the beginning
of the engagement , a little after noon , '
replied Lieutenant Howard. "He was stand
Ing at my right , and was bending over am
looking out of the silt. We were Just going -
ing by the Merrlmac , and were not mon
than ten yards from her when a shell struct
the log Just below the sight hole , and ther
exploded. It broke this eight-Inch log o :
Iron In two. It threw one end of It up
ward and the log held there In the air b )
the dove-tall with which It was fastened t (
the box. The splinters of the shell flew
threw the silt. With them came powdei
and flame. These got Into Captain Wor
den's eyes and blinded him. They cul
his face , so that It was covered with blood
and his clothes and mine were coverec
with dust and powder. Captain Worden ex
claimed that he was shot. He could nol
see , but the light that * came In made hlir
think that the pilot house was ruined , ant
he gave orders to move off. He then fell
his way down through the floor Into thi
lower part of his vessel , where his cablt
was , and gave the command over to Lieuten
ant Greene. That shot came near destroylnf
the pilot house. Had we been a secont
later In turning , Captain Worden and mytel :
would surely have been killed. As It wai
we were saved only by that dove-tailed lot
standing in the air. Had It fallen It wouU
have crushed us both. Had the boat beet
let * ilow la moving tb shot would h&vi
struck the pilot house square , and we were
so close that nothing could have saved us ,
As It was Ithit the Iron logs at an angle of
seventy-five degrees , and only broke them.
Captain Worden was a terrible sight as he
noved down Into his cabin. The. blood was
- ushlng from every part of his face. His
iyes were closed , and his skin was blackened
vlth the powder. Ills wounds , however ,
seemed to have his least thought. He did
tot faint , and he kept his mind upon the
battle. Ho gave over the direction of the
essel to Lieutenant Greene , and we had to
report to him every few minutes as to how
lie fight was going on. "
IOW HOWARD SAVED THE MINNESOTA.
"Did the officers of the Merrlmac know
: hat they had shot Worden at this time ? "
: asked.
"I think not , " replied Lieutenant Howard ,
for they moved off so shortly afterward. My
first orders from Lieutenant Greene were to
move off and make for Fortress Monroe. I
did not know at this time that he had been
nade chief In command. I thought this orJer
a great mistake , for I knew that If wo left
; ho Merrlmac would come back and destroy
.lie Minnesota. Instead of obeying Lieuten
ant Greene I went down to see Captain Wor
den. I said to him , 'Captain , they want mete
to move oft to Fortress Monroo. If we do
this the Merrlmac will surely destroy the
Minnesota. I don't want to do It. '
' 'You must see Lieutenant Greene , ' replied
Captain Worden. 'He Is now In command ,
and you must get your orders from him. '
"I then went to Lieutenant Greene and
Pegged him not to leave the Minnesota. I
showed him the danger of the Merrlmac com
ing back , and after a while persuaded him to
allow me to take the Monitor to the Minne
sota. This we did and anchored there. In
the meantime the Merrlmac was slowly
moving off toward Norfolk , and her share In
the battle was over. During the engage
ment her men , I understand , were anxious to
set close enough to us to board us , hoping
that they could destroy the machinery In the
turret with sledges and wedges. I think
such a thing would have been Impossible.
Shortly after the Merrlmac moved off , I
asked Lieutenant Greene If he would netlike
like to take a shot at the Yorktown and the
Jamestown , the two confederate men-of-war
which were anchored off Sewall's Point , half
a mile away. He consented , and we steered
for them. Wo fired a shot at each of them ,
and as we did so they slipped their cables
and left. "
"Did you go on the Minnesota ? " I asked.
"Yes , " was the reply. "We boarded It
while we were lying beside It. We were sur
prised to find no one on U , The ship had
been deserted by all save the commis
sioned officers and a few others. A
fuse had been connected with Its magazine
and It was so arranged that It would have
been blown up had there been any danger of
actual capture by the Merrlmac. It was used
after the war as n recruiting ehlp and sta
tioned at New York. I was ordered to duty
upon It , and acted as one of its lieutenants
for moro than a year. "
"You did not remain upon the Monitor ? "
"No. The Merrlmac did not return , and I
left the ship that evening and went back to
my brig , the Amanda. I was afterward In
command of another monitor on the Missis
sippi. Its name was the Neosho , and I left
her at the close of the war. After the war
was over my service was on the old Minne
sota. Then Captain Worden was ordered to
take the Pcnsacola to San Francisco , and he
asked the Navy department to make me one
of Us subordinate officers. This was done ,
and It Is strange that both he and I should
survive that stormy day and each live to be
more than three score and ten. "
CO.V.V V Jt 1.4 Li r/i'A.
A man In Hackensack , N. J. , bought an
other man's wife for $50. He paid for her In
Installments of $6 a month.
At a recent society wedding In Chicago the
bride , a widow , was given away at the altar
by her son , a child of 10 years.
It Is stated as an Interesting sociological
fact that In London out of 100 widowers
who marry again twelve marry their house
keepers.
C. II. Clalr of Aurora , III. , who married
Mies Jordan of Danville , 111. , deserted her
a week later because his mother-in-law and
brother-in-law Insisted on him paying all
bills of the combined families.
It has leaked out In San Francisco that
Dr. J. Milton Bowers , who was twice sen
tenced to be hanged for poisoning his third
wife In San Francisco ten years ago , was
married for the fourth time last May In
Denver to Miss Marry Bird , a San Jose
school teacher , who was Bowers' patient its-
lore the death of his third wife.
At all times garters have been considered
very Important details of woman's dress , and
always associated In some manner with matri
mony. Down through half a dozen centuries
comes to us the custom practiced today of
having the garters as a finishing touch to a
bride's toilet. The particular girl friend
who Is permitted to slip them Into place is
conceded to stand the best possible chance ol
wedding happily before twelve months are
out. A prospect of near and blissful matri
mony is also shared by the friend who se
cures the privl'ege ' of making a bride's gar
ters , the proper pattern for which Is now a
circle of white silk elastic covered with em-
bioldered white satin and clasped by a small
gald buckle enameled In white bow knots.
Money marriages are becoming more and
more fashionable among the European aris
tocrats. They haven't any brains , most ol
them , to earn money honestly otherwise , am !
their patrimony and estates being morteag'-
rldden , they look for gold to marry. In this
search for heiresses they drop ono seraph
after another , so that advertisements like on ;
appearing the other day no longer are Infre
quent. It was an Austrian marquis , a high
government employe , handsome and distin
gue , who lookzd for a partner. In fat type
the advertisement stated that creed and race
made no difference , but that at least 2,000,00 (
florins ( $1,200,0K ! ) ) were required for dowry
of which he , the marquis , wanted half Ir
his own right. Isn't that charmingly plain'
And , mind you , < hese arc precisely the men
who love to east slurs on the Americans for
their "chase after the almighty dollar. "
Laughter spoiled a wedding In Denver re
cently. The contracting parties were Fret
E. Bailey and Mrs. Josephine Klech , and
after the ceremony was about two-thirds
through they were seized with a fit of laugh
ter , and the clergyman who was performing
the ceremony refused to continue with
It. After securing the license the
couple had expressed a desire to b : marrlet
at once , and Bishop Warren , who was a wit
ness in a suit , was called upon to perform the
ceremony. They all adjourned to the office
of the Telephone exchange In the county
building. When the bishop asked of the
groom , "Do you take this woman to be your
lawful wedded wife , " both the bride ant
groom burst out laughing. The bishop looket
sternly at both of them , then folded the li
cense , handed It to the young man and said
"I think this marriage will go no farther at
this time. " He walked out of the room.
Ilia
( Louisville Courier-Journal. )
He does not want a big steam yacht ,
A stylish dame a seaside beach
A polo ground a prancingteam -
Beyond a modest purse's reach ,
He only asks a little house
A wife that doesn't take on airs ;
A child or two a host of friends
A prch some pipes and bamboo chalrt )
A hammock and a lot of books
A camera a quiet nag
And In the barn for use not lookS'-
A vehicle that steed can drag.
A garden plot a hoe and rake
A skiff a stream not far away ;
With these he boasts a man can make
An empire of a summer day.
t'rows llolil < ourt *
Dr. Bdmundson says that In the Shet
land Islands the holding of crow courts Is
of very common occurrence. As a rule a
hill or field Is selected to act as a court
bouse and the session commences. The pro
ceedings are conducted In any way but si
lently , though as to the exact mode of pro
cedure , whether counsel are- employed or a
Jury empaneled , no ornithologist ha * been
able to say. All Dr. Bdmundson lay *
Is that after a great deal of cawing the
whole court falls upon the unhappy .prisoners
and they are promptly exterminated , attei
which the court rises and the crows dli-
perse , each to his own district.
HOUNDING THE TEACHERS
'Iho Sleek and Oily Book Agent Conspicuous
at the Denver Convention ,
LAVISH WITH CONFECTIONS AND MUSIC
Kconomy IK no red In the Management of
the 1'utillc KcliooU tflea ( or Teaching
the Hpaiilih Language Specimens
' of Boston Cult.
One of the largest armies of suave camp
'ollowers ' that ever trailed a convention sur
rounded the annual meeting of the National
Educational association , recently held In Den
ver. The members of the army were sleek
n apparel , well fed and lavish In their at-
.cntlons to teachers. According to the Den
ver News they were conspicuous In tha hotels ,
the rotundas and in private quarters and by
force of smiles and not at all times welcome
services sought to place the members of the
association under obligations to them and
win their Influence for their particular wares.
Always ready to give Information or to give
directions and advice about excursions , both
In the city and beyond Us limits , this body of
truckling agents was always on hand. Even
when the despairing visitors .sought the
mountains for relief from a year's work and
freedom from oven the thought of matters
pertaining to the school room , these pur-
sners followed with untiring energy and made
their presence unpleasantly manifest. They
engaged the best rooms In the hotels , paying
therefor largo sums of money and lived upon
the best that Denver had to offer. They
were not guests of the city , but In proportion
tion to their number they were In far greater
evidence , as tijich throUgh the amount of
money spent by them as1 by their omnipres
ence. Not only did they engage the best
quarters , but money was spent for music and
refreshment In a manner quite lavish when
the quiet methods of teachers are considered.
This body of camp followers was made up
for the most part of the' agents of publish
ing houses. For years these .publishers have
been forcing a market for their wares and no
sooner do teachers and pupils become ac
customed to one set of books than another
set Is compiled. This has continued until
legions of text books have been printed and
parents have become desperate. Some new
departure , which presents the same old facts
In a different garb , and which frequently , em
ploys new term ? and Increases the detail of
study till distraction almost felzes the pupil ,
'
Is what these people are'looking for year
after year. According io- their Ideas there
should bo fashions In EQliool books Just as
there are In clothing and , the .changes should
bo as frequent and marked. As a result , new
books and systems are .substituted for the
old and the parent pays the , cost that the
publisher and his agent may prosper.
THE AGENTS AND -THEIR WORK.
To push this work ; to call attention to now
systems , Is the work of these agents at N , E.
A. conventions. To do effective work they
must live well and spend , money upon others ,
and parents and taxpayers generally pay for
It all. The publishers pay largo salaries , the
agents travel expensively and Jlvo and enter
tain In a sumptuous mannerand all to the
end that publishers may extort money from
the people by foisting unnecessary publica
tions upon them. While In Denver the Amer
ican Book company spent from $20 to $40 a
day for fruit and confectlonpry alone , served
at their headquarters , anil cm ono evening
purchased the -services of the Mendelssohn
quartet.
Every company represented at the conven
tion had a number of representatives. First
on the list In point of numbers was the Amer
ican Book company. The corps was made up
of George Howard , Cincinnati ; Mr. Green ,
New York ; F. A. FItzpatrIck , Boston ; C. C.
Burchord , L. M. Dlllmar , Major Clancy , Chicago
cage ; Captain Dorland and Dr. Call , Louis
ville ; George S. Wedgewood , Omaha ; J. T.
Winters , Nebraska ; Mr. Todd , Wisconsin.
Glnn & Co. were represented by O. P. Barnes ,
E. R. Smith , Mr. Gllson and Mr. Hallett ,
Chicago ; D. C. Heath , by. Messrs. Smythe ,
Pemberton and Vose , Chicago ; Sheldon & Co.
by Mr. Hunt , Chicago ; Werner & Co. , by
Ira Eaton of Chicago and Mr. Phebus of Topeka -
peka , Kan. ; Allyn & Scott , by F. M. Kendall ,
Chicago , and Lench , Showell & Co. , by Mr.
S bley of Chic go. There we"e rep-'se tattves
of these firms and companies , and even these
had other representatives.
Not all the text book'- ' ' publishers In the
United States were represented at the con
vention , the experiences of the past not being
such as to encourage the 'necessary expendi
ture , but those on the ground were gratified
with results and feel that they had greatly
benefited themselves and their employers. It
It not the custom to solicit orders at these
conventions , such work being done mainly
through state legislatures , 'and county , city
and district boards of education. The agents
of publishers were there merely to present
their goods and show them off to advantage.
ECONOMY AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
"There was one Important subject that re
ceived no attention at the Denver conven
tion , " says the Chicago Journal , "though It
Is one In which taxpayers are deeply In
terested. This matter about which nothing
was said Is the economic management or
the public 'schools. The last report of the
national commissioner of education shows
that the cost per capita of educating pupils
In our public schools has almost exactly
doubled during the past twenty years. The
Increase has been the , smallest In the south
ern states and the largest In those of the
northwest. All these states received large
land grants for the support of schools , but It
Is a curious fact that school taxes are much
higher In these states than In those that
received no bounty from the general govern
ment. The land grants , so far from de
creasing the amount to be raised by taxa
tion for the support of schools , have ap
parently Increased It.
"The greatest Increase In the cost of
schools has been In cities and towns In the
northwest. In them there has been an
expenditure of money , that ; shows how little
regard has been shown to economy. The
little red school house , still stands among
the hills of New Hampshire , In the forests
of Michigan and on the prairies In Indiana ,
but in all the large towns there are palatial
structures of dressed stone and terra cotta.
Extravagance In buildings , appears to lead
to extravagance In all things pertaining to
the management of schools. A costly
structure calls for expensive * apparatus and
high salaries.
"Twenty years ago the coat ot supporting
schools In Chicago was about one-fourth of
the entire expenditures of the municipal
government. Now the school * cost , within
a few thousand dollars , as much as ls re
quired to conduct all the other departments.
Every pupil In one of the numerous high
schools In the city costs the taxpayers $115.71
a year. Still the person * ln > charge of the
school complain that they have been ham
pered for lack ot funds.
"If the cost ot public schools shall In
crease during the next two decades as It
has during the two Just passed , It Is evi
dent that they will become like the grass
hopper , a burden , and the result may be
an organized opposition tp the way they
are conducted. In the earlier days of the
republic public schools were favored because
they were cheaper to support than private
schools. But at present they are far more
expensive. There are many excellent colleges
In the country In which the tuition I * only
$25 a year , or less than one-fourth what It
Is In one of our city high school. .
"In no thing do the youth of this country
need Instruction a * much as In forming
habits of economy. As an aid. to the forma
tion of such habits the school should be in
object lesson. In the good old day * , which
are not BO very old after all , children
learned economy while attending ichool , for
the boys built and tended the flrea and the
girl * swept the floor * and duited oft tha
benches. If they wanted a higher educa
tion than that afforded by the common
school they earned the money to pay their
expense * at an academy or college. And
the boy * and girls wbo did tbla rose to be
the molder * and mothers ot the nation.
Now , they learn that It Is the bounden duty
of the state to give them an education , and
by this they may Imbibe the socialistic Idea
that U Is the duty of the state to look
out for them after It has given them an
education. "
PLEA FOR THE SPANISH LANGUAGE.
A periodical outcry Is made against the
study of anclen' languages In our high
schools and universities , says the Philadel
phia Record. Strong arguments are vigor
ously advanced both In favor of and against
such study , those who oppose U declaring
that a knowledge of French or German Is
far more advantageous to young men than
a smattering of Latin or Greek. This view
Is probably correct. But while the conten
tion proceeds , those whom It Is Intended to
benefit acquire little Latin and almost less
French.
These Is ono modern language , however ,
to the study of which too little attention IB
being given , and Its need will be most seri
ously felt In commercial circles within the
next generation. Reference Is had to the
Spanish language Our commerce with the
Central and South American republics Is
largely Increasing every year. Even slow-
going Mexico Is becoming alive to this fact ,
nml Is accordingly making an effort to cap
ture some of tbe commerce flitting hitherward -
ward and thitherward , She Is actually going
so far as to listen to the scheme which Is
being advocated for the formation of a
United States of the Latin-American repub
lics of the central portion of the continent
a confederation , which , with Mexico as a
part , would very largely Increase commerce
between this country and the new United
States to tbe southward. The commercial
possibilities of these Latin republics are
exceedingly vast. Our present commerce
with those countries Is as nothing to what
It will be twenty-five years hence , when a
knowledge of the Spanish language will be
absolutely essential to all young men en
gaged In the counting houses of the firms
engaged in business with that part of the
globo.
Let parents and pedagogues , therefore ,
cease their bickerings as to the respective
merits of Greek and French , and put Into
the boys' heads a practical knowledge of
Spanish , which they will find U not difficult
to build upon a tolerably fair foundation of
Latin. French may be the language of re
finement , and as such Its acquisition Is more
or less desirable. But the great languages
of commerce not many years hence will bo
our own language , the German language and
that diarmlngt tongue for which this plea Is
made the tongue of Cervantes and of Cortez.
QUEER ANSWERS BY CHILDREN.
Since wit has been defined by Noah Web
ster as "the felicitous association of objects
not usually connected , so as to produce a
pleasant surprise , " may not the pupils of
some ot Boston's public schools , who gave
the following answers to their examination
questions , lay claim to U ? The record as
here given , says the Boston Budget , Is bona
fide , having been read during the past week
at the graduation exercises of one of the
leading grammar schools of this city :
1. Who were the pilgrims ? A dirty , filthy
set who lived under ground.
2. Name a domestic animal useful for
clothing and describe Its habits. The ox.
He don't have any habits , because he lives
In a stable.
3. If you were traveling across the desert
where would you choose to rest ? I would
rest on a stool.
4. Mention five races of men. Men , women ,
children and babies.
5. Describe the white race and show that
It Is superior to the other races. A white
man will nod at you when he meets you on
the street.
6. Of what Is the surface of the earth
composed ? Dirt and people.
7. Name a fruit that has Us seeds on the
outsldo. Seed cake.
8. Name five forms of water. Hot water ,
cold water , faucet water , well water and Ice
water ;
' ' 3. ' Name and locate the five senses. The
eyes are In the northern part of the face
and the mouth In the southern.
10. Who were the mound builders ? His
tory cannot answer these questions. Science
only can.
11. Define flinch and use It In a sentence.
Flinch , to shrink. Flannel flinches when U
Is washed.
12. By what Is the earth surrounded , and
by what Is It lighted ? It Is surrounded by
water and lighted by gas and electricity.
13. Name six animals of the Arctic zone.
Three polar bears and three seals.
14. What Is yeast ? Yeast Is a vegetable
flying about In the air , and hitching Itself
on to anything.
15. Why do you open the dampers In a
stove when lighting a fire ? To let the
oxygen In and the nitrogen out.
16. What did the constitution do for the
country ? It gave the president a head.
17. What are the last teeth that come to
man ? False teeth.
The mljilster ot a congregation In an agri
cultural district , says the Hartford Post , was
greatly annoyed Sunday after Sunday by _ the
unruly conduct oj the Junior members of his
flock. When any ono of the younger repre
sentatives of the gentler sex got weary of the
evening service she would Invariably rise
and go out. A moment later her admirer
would sleze his hat and sheepishly follow
her. To such an extent would this course
of action prevail that by the time the dis
course was finished only the old people re
mained for the conclusion of the service.
Mr. Jones concealed his chagrin for several
weeks , but at last he firmly resolved to act.
A youth grew drowsy one Sunday evening ,
and , picking up his hat , stepped Into the
aUle. But the minister's keen eye was upon
him , and , to the culprit's dismay , he stopped
short In his sermon.
"Young man , " said he , "the girl who went
out last Is not the one you wish to walk
home with. When she goes I will let you
know at once. Please sit down. After this
when a young woman goes out I will call on
the proper young man to take care of her. "
The minister resumed his discourse. There
was much tittering and considerable anger ,
but his sermons were not Interrupted again.
An English clergyman who was suddenly
called on to .preach to a congregation of col
lege students was unable to speak without
notes , and had only one written sermon with
him , which was on the duties of the married
state. The topic was hardly one that he
would have chosen for the occasion , but he
hoped that It would pass muster as being ap
propriate by anticipation. But unfortunately
he did not read the sermon over , and so be
fore ho knew It he had uttered this appeal :
"And now , a word to you who are mothers. "
Chicago Post : "I see this religious effort
society , " began Mrs. Malaprop , "Is goln' to
meet "
" " asked her caller
"This what ? ,
"This religious effort society. I see It's
goln' to meet In Boston. "
"Oh , you mean the Christian Endeavor
society. "
"Same thing , ain't It ? " asked Mrs. Mala
prop , sharply. "Means the same thing , any
way. "
There was an odd Incident connected with
the fire that destroyed the Salvation army
tent In Tacoma. When the smoke cleared
away all that was left of the tent was a
charred sign bearing the Inscription , "Pre
pare to meet thy God , "
"I wish you would come to our church. I
know you would like our pastor. "
"What does he preach about ? "
"He preaches about twenty minutes. "
A LivingVlcture. .
Some of the girls at Atlantic City seem to
enjoy wearing suits that are extremely loud ,
and mothers and chaperon * seem to be
oblivious of the fact that the girls are at
tracting so 'much attention. One young
maiden , who Is to be married In the fall ,
came out last week with a dazzler. U was
made of white flannel , trimmed with gold
braid. It looked very handsome before the
wearer got wet. The skirt was a little short
and there were a taw other discrepancies
but the young woman withal looked charming.
Bbe was about to take her flrit bath ( that
U , her first ocean bath of tbe season ) ; the
lull really did look too pretty to get wet ,
but at last , after displaying herself and the
cult to th multitude , ihe went Into tbe
water. In abcut fifteen minutes ihe cams
out and she looked like a statue la marble.
The clothes stuck to her like a porous
plaster. It only took her a few minutes to
get to her bathing house , but she was seen
by every one and the little affair was the
topic for gossip during the bathing hour.
It KAL U.tlt STUltlElf.
Lawful Titles About Men on mill OR the
llench.
On one occasion a gentleman had a dispute
with a laborer over some trifling matter and
the hired man made complaint to Judge
Charles Iteaumc of Wisconsin , who began his
Judicial career In the latter part of the
eighteenth century. The Justice sent a sum
mons to the gentleman to appear before him
to answer the charge , says the Chicago
Record. Instead of a writ on paper , with
name and eeal , the constable bore a large
Jack-knlfo belonging to Resume , which had
often been , made to serve the same purpose.
When the gentleman approached the Judge's
office Rcaume was standing In the door.
"You may go away ! " exclaimed the Judge In
broken English ; "go away ; I have given
Judgment against ye. " "Ah , good morning ,
Judge , good morning , " said the gentleman ,
suavely. "Good morning , I have given
Judgment against ye , " returned Reaumo.
"Coming along by Burgan's store I saw
this coffee pot hanging out , " said the gentle
man , "and I bought It as a little present to
you , Judge ; will you do me the honor to
accept It ? " "Oh , yes , t'ank ye , t'ank ye
kindly ; very much 'bilged to ye , " replied the
Judge , his face broadening Into a smile.
"Oh , by the way , Judge , I don't owe that
fellow anything , " said the gentleman. "You
don't ? " repeated Heaume , doubtfully. "No ,
I have really overpaid him. " "The rascal ! "
said Heaume , "what's he come here for with
a lie In his mouf ? I reverse my Judgment
and ho shall pay do costs. "
Judge Wallace was chief Justice of the
supreme court of California when an attorney
from Montana , who Is now a well known
practitioner In San Francisco , says the Post ,
applied for a certificate to practice before
the courts of the state. He stood before
the bar while another attorney made the
motion for admission and presented the cer
tificate.
"I don't like that fellow's looks , " whis
pered Judge Wallace to his associate.
"Nor I , either. "
"Well , let's sit down on him ? "
"All right. "
Judge Wallace cleared his throat , smiled
upon the attorney , and said :
"This court cannot recognize the certifi
cate of a territorial court. "
"But , your honor , I have here a decision
of this very court upon that point holding
directly to the contrary , " replied the appli
cant's attorney.
"Let me see It , " demanded Judge Wal
lace. *
It was passed up to him by the bailiff
and he observed that the opinion had been
written by himself.
"Looks as If he had us , doesn't It ? " whis
pered the judge to his associate.
"That's what It does. How are wo going
to get around that ? "
Judge Wallace wiped his glasses carefully ,
adjusted them on his nose ami read a few
"That Is not law , " he declared emphati
cally , as he slammed the book on his desk.
"Tho application Is denied. "
"It's a great pity , " said the convicted
burglar to his lawyer , "that you couldn't have
made that closing speech ot yours at the
opening of the case. "
"I don't see that It would have made any
difference. "
"It would , though. Then the Jury would
have been asleep when the evidence came In
and I'd have stood some show. "
"Your offense , " said the territorial Judge ,
"was most flagrant. I feel compelled to give
you the full limit of the law. "
"Jedge , " pleaded Soapstone Bowers , "this
here Is no less than a Insult. It Is the first
tlmo I was ever held down to a limit In my
life. "
"Do you think you can make a fool out
of me ? " hotly cried one lawyer to another In
Magistrate Fulmer's court In Philadelphia.
"Providence saved me the trouble , " coolly
replied the other.
UELWWVS.
Ohio's capital has three divines whoso fame
has spread beyond our own country Bishop
Watterson and Drs. Gladden and Rexford.
Mr. Cassel , a Pennsylvania German , has a
library composed entirely of bibles. Th
collection comprises ) nearly all the old and
curious editions.
The Swedish Lutheran church of Minnesota
Is moving toward the abandonment of the
Swedish tongue In Us services and the adop
tion of English. The children know little
of Swedish.
The maiden name of Mrs. Lucretla Mott ,
the famous Quaker preacher , was Coffin , and
she was born In Nantucket , being a lineal
descendant of Sir Isaac Coffin , an admiral of
the blue In the British navy.
' Wllford Woodruff , who was elected head of
the Mormon church on the death of John
Taylor , the successor of Brlgham Young , Is
now 88 years of age. As a missionary he
has traveled 200,000 miles , lecturing , preach
ing , and proselyting.
The latest English religious novelty Is a
smoking service. The following Invitation has
been widely circulated In Whltechapel : "If
you want a smoke free cotno next Sunday
afternoon at 3 o'clock to Christ Church hall.
A free cup of tea If you like. Tobacco
gratia. "
A Mahanoy City , Pa. , chicken flew Into a
church and laid an egg on ono of the seats ,
A Pottsvlllo young lady found the egg and
took It home , used It In baking a cake , and
thus started a fund for the building of a new
Methodist Eplsccpil church at that place ,
which fund Is growing to largo proportions.
The Roman Catholic archbishop of Mel
bourne , In sending a check recently to the
promoters of a performance In aid of the
local Jewish charities , wrote that the Jews
so rarely appeal to the general public for aid
and they so frequently help those of other
denominations La similar movements ho was
pleased to support their efforts.
At St. Ignace , Mich. , on August C will oc
cur the dedication of a new monument to
Father Marquette , on the spot where It Is be
lieved his bones rested for more than 200
years. The monument , an Imposing shaft of
marble and bronze , will supplant the plain
granite column that has marked the sacred
spot.
JO 7) OT/ir.
By night Hon. W. K. Glnilstonc , to Ma Grand-
dnuKlitcr.
I know where there Is honey In a Jar ,
Meet for n certain little friend of mine ;
Ami , Dorothy , I know where daisies are
That only wait some small hands to Inter
twine
A wreath for such a golden head as thine.
The thought that thou art coming makes
all glad ;
The house Is bright with blossoms high
and low ,
And many a llttlo lass and little lad
Expectantly nre running to and fro ;
The fire within our hearts Is all aglow.
Wo want thee , child , to share In our de
light
On this high day , the holiest and best.
Because 'twas then , cro youth hud tukun
flight ,
Thy grandmamma , of women loveliest ,
Made me of men rnont honored and most
blest.
That naughty boy who le < l thee to Bupposo
He was thy sweetheart has , I grieve to
tell ,
Been seen to pick the garden's choices !
rose
And toddle with It to another belle ,
Who does not treat him altogether well.
But mind not that , or let It teach theo
this
To waste no love on any youthful rover
( All youths are rovers , I assure thee , ml s ) .
No , If thou wouldst true constancy dis
cover ,
Thy grandpapa I * perfect as a lover.
80 , come , thou playmate of my closing day ,
The latest treasure life can offer me.
And with thy baby laughter make ua gay.
Thy fresh young voice shall Blntr , Do
rothy ,
Bonn that ihall bid the feet of Borrow
flee.
CLEVER WORK OF A CROOK
Ex-United States Treasurer Wynnn Goes
Into the Details.
PAPER SUBSTITUTED FOR GREENBACKS
llolil Play of vrinilow , n Tren Miry K
ploye , Who Itnbbed the ( luvcrnincnt ot
81"OOU nmlV i Afterword Cap
tured nil the Money Itecoverctl.
An account of the famous Wlnslow case ,
which was suggested by the recent conviction
of Howgato , and appeared originally In ono
of the Washington papers , was printed In
The Bee. According to this account , In Feb
ruary , 1877 , the treasury officials at Washing
ton received n dispatch from the First Na
tlonal bank of Chicago , announcing that a
package which was labeled to contain $12,000
when opened was foifnd to bo made up ot
roll ? of tissue paper.
A. U. Wyman of this city , who was at the
tlmo treasurer of the United States , was ot
once notified by these under him of the
theft. Mr. Wyman communicated with Major
J. J. Brooks , at that tlmo at the head of the
Rovornment secret service , for the purpose of
bringing the embezzler to punishment and It
possible recover the money before It could
bo spent. The affair was managed with as
much secrecy as possible and the theft did
not leak out for some llttlo time , but'when
the details at length became known It brought
to light one of the cleverest pieces of crook !
work which often occur In government cir
cles , whore clerks arc accustomed to handla
millions of money and' account for every
cent.
TALKS OF THE CIUME.
Mr. Wyman , speaking of the occurrence
the oilier day , said that this was the first
Instance of the kind ho had had occur during
his administration. When the theft wag dis
covered suspicion at once fell on four em
ployes , all of whom had berne excellent
characters. "Aa Major Brooks relates , " said
Mr. Wyman , "each of the men wore care
fully examined and they wcro severally put
under surveillance. Wo knew one of them
must bo guilty , for each In turn had handled
the package , ono counting It and then passIng -
Ing It on to another for a recount. By thla
process It passed through four different cages.
The one who was finally proven the
culprit was not'a man to arouse any one's
suspicions. He had been appointed to his
place on the highest recommendations , ono
: omlng from a man of standing , who later
Became a candidate for the vlco presidency.
Ho had undoubtedly recommended him In
entire good faith. I never knew that
Wlnslow , the man we afterward convicted ot
the crime , was a man of bad habits , a
drinker or a gambler , and so far as I can
now recall I do not think he had a family.
The account given by Major Brooks of the
capture of Wlnslow Is correct. Wlnslow was
at first put off the track by being Invited to
assist In capturing the real party. Then our
detectives discovered that ho was paying out
$100 bills , the- exact denomination which the
package we shipped to Chicago should have
contained. The day that Wlnslow became
aware that he had been definitely spotted ,
as the embezzler I remember very well. It
was but shortly after the discovered theft.
Ho had determined to run off to New York- .
The day previous to the Intended departure
It was suggested to me by a newspaper
friend that I should be at home that even
ing. I understood what ho meant and r.e-
malned at home , walling for the door bell
to ring , which It soon did , , when a packago-
was thrown Into my house. I picked It up-
and found It contained $11,000 In notes.
These were all that were ever recovered ot >
the amount stolen. Wlnslow's arrest fol
lowed and on his person the evidences of hl3
guilt were found In the shape of notes , paper-
ind sealing wax , showing that ho had com--
mltted the crime. He was placed In tho-
penltentlary. The gentleman who gave mo-
Lho Information has since become a prominent
public official.
"I really think , " added Mr. Wyman , "that
the work of Wlnslow was one of the cleverest
jobs of Us kind. I think It has been mulched
lately In the story of a theft perpetrated In
New York City by a bank employe. who >
stele $41,000 by making a similar substitu
tion of tissue paper tor bank bills. Ills ,
bank was sending oft that amount by the
Adams Express company to Washington. In.
that case I understand that the thief was at
last located In South America and the money ,
to a largo extent recovered , but owing to the >
extradition laws ho never could be convicted. .
"Regarding treasury officials , I might say , " '
concluded Mr. Wyman"that the losses which
have occurred have been but Infinitesimal
compared with the millions handled by them.
During my 'administration I had C25 people
working In the government building and 400
of them were counting money all the tlmo.
Wo had constantly $200,000,000 In the vaults. "
KEPT IN A STEEL SAFE.
The Constitution or thd United State * Ito.
malm In tiooil Condition.
The constitution of the United States tho-
original pen-wrlt'en constitution , bo It remem
bered has been dragged from Its place ot
concealment In the State department to bo
photographed , says the Washington I'ost. It
has been decided to send a facsimile ot It to
the Atlanta exposition. Of course , the At
lanta people would rather have had the orig
inal , but this could not be entertained.
The constitution Is kept in a steel safe In
the library of the State department. The
safe , quite a pretty affair , In gray and gold.
Is massive and strong. A combination lock ;
protects Its priceless contents , and the com
bination Is carefully kept by one or two of
ficials. Yesterday , however , the steel doors
were swung open In order to allow a reporter
to look upon the sacred pages. No document
In the world has been so fraught with destiny
as this very KUDO constitution. It Is today
the foundation of the government. To see It
as It came from the pen of the engrosser on
the 17th day of September , 1787 , Is a sight
worth traveling a thousand miles to witness.
As Is well known , there are In the State de
partment two copies of the Declaration of In
dependence one the official and engrossed
document , and the other the original draft In
the handwriting of Thomas Jefferson , wUh
all the erasures and alterations that were
in a do before the 'language was finally agreed
upon. In the case of the constitution there
la only one copy the final engrossment , with
the signatures duly attached. As thus pre
served , It consists of four largo sheets ot
parchment , each twenty-two by twenty-eight
inches , with the words written out In the old-
fashioned chlrography of a century ago , and
the curious capitalization of letters then In
vogue. The first three words , "We , the people
ple , " are engrossed ! n very largo black letters ,
go that they stand out In bold relief. On the
last page are the signatures of the deputies
from the various states , beginning with the
familiar autograph of George Washington , who
signed himself as "President and Deputy from
Virginia , " Many of the names are closely ,
associated with the early history of the re
public Alexander Hamilton , Itufua King ,
Gouvencur Morris , H. Franklin , Daniel Car *
roll and Hogcr Sherman being among the
number.
The constitution Is a most excellently pre
served document. The Ink hag faded a little ,
but not sufficient to detract from legibility or
appearance. The autographs are especially ,
clear. This might have been the case also
with the Declaration of Independence , but It
so happened that when a fac-slrnile of that
paper was attempted In 1821 Irreparable harm
was done to It through carelemness and Igno
rance. In the case of the constitution the ut
most care hag been obterved and no Injury
has resulted.
The Union Iron Work * of San Francisco
has received an order for eleven steel barges
to be used on the Arnoor river In Siberia.
The order come * from a Husilan company ,
which ha * It * headquarters at Ht. Peters
burg. These barge * will be of light draft , to
suit the nhallow water * of the Amoor , anil
will have a carrying capacity of COO toua
each.